| Subject: 1812 Overture |
Author:
Dave P.
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Date Posted: 20:21:43 05/04/05 Wed
I see the finale for the "Music of the North" concert is to be the 1812 Overture, accompanied by gun fire. This fact has triggered a very dim and distant memory of the first time I ever heard of this being done, in the sixties. The 25 pounders of the JLLRA were involved, I think (but it may have been Kings Troop, I'm not at all sure?) and, if I'm not mistaken, it took place in Stratford - upon - Avon and involved a massive, 1,000 piece orchestra. Apparently, and here I have to rely on a very shaky memory, the guns where situated near some quite, new blocks of flats near the edge of the riverside parkland where the concert was taking place. As the music reached it's crescendo and the first salvo of gunfire boomed out across the meadows, windows in the blocks of flats began to shatter and continued to do so as each gun fired in it's part of the programme. There was hell to play because the siting of the Bty was deemed too close to the flats but only in hindsight. The majority of the huge audience, of course, knew nothing about this and had a wonderful sound (and visual) experience. I did see a similar performance carried out in Cannon Hill Park, in Birmingham, a few years ago, only instead of guns they used fireworks and it was truly, spectacular. I would strongly recommend that anyone who has the chance to see something like this, takes the opportunity. You won't be disappointed, I promise. Certainly got the old patriotic blood stirring. Almost as good as the "Last night of the Proms" !!
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